Residents of a remote corner of south Texas have voted to officially establish Starbase, a new town centered around Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX. The move formalizes what has already been a de facto company town, where SpaceX conducts major rocket launches and where most residents are tied to the company.
On Saturday, voters in what was previously the unincorporated community of Boca Chica approved a ballot measure to incorporate as a town, granting themselves the authority to enact local ordinances. The initiative passed with overwhelming support, as the vast majority of the 283 eligible voters were either SpaceX employees or connected to the company.
The outcome of the vote was never in serious doubt. A senior SpaceX executive, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor with 100% of the early vote. Two additional SpaceX employees ran unopposed for city commissioner positions. According to unofficial results from Cameron County, 97.7% of voters supported the incorporation measure. Musk himself celebrated the result on his platform X, posting: “Starbase, Texas, is now a real city!”
The creation of Starbase echoes the company towns of America’s industrial past, where business leaders like Carnegie or Ford built communities around their factories. Starbase is no different in structure—SpaceX is its economic and social center. Of the town’s estimated 500 residents, 260 are SpaceX employees, and most of the rest are their family members. Though Musk will not formally hold public office in Starbase, his influence over the area is undeniable. As the founder and CEO of SpaceX, he effectively shapes the town’s development and purpose.
Starbase’s new mayor, Bobby Peden, 36, has been with SpaceX since 2013. He currently serves as the company’s vice president of test and launch operations in Texas. His appointment, along with that of two city commissioners who also work for SpaceX, solidifies the company’s hold on local governance.
Nestled near the Mexican border on a bay that flows into the Gulf of Mexico, Starbase is a quirky blend of futurism and fandom. Prefabricated housing, airstream trailers, and palm trees line its streets. A nine-foot-tall golden statue of Elon Musk looms over the town, bearing the inscription “ELON AKA Memelord.” The bust was recently vandalized, with its foam and fiberglass cheeks partially peeled off. Nevertheless, the town continues to embrace its unique identity. Local landmarks include an employee-only restaurant named Astropub, featuring a glowing red “Occupy Mars” sign, and a central road whimsically dubbed “Memes Street.”
The formation of Starbase marks a symbolic victory for Musk, who has long spoken about humanity’s expansion to Mars. As SpaceX continues developing its Starship rockets in the region, the town of Starbase reflects both his ambitions and his growing tendency to create self-contained ecosystems around his ventures. Though not officially in charge, Musk now has a town that quite literally orbits around his vision.
Starbase: Ambition and Opposition
Although often seen as a vanity project, Elon Musk’s proposed city of Starbase—which he has promoted for years—would give SpaceX greater authority over land use in the area. At a legislative hearing in April, company employees submitted identical statements claiming the creation of the town would improve logistics and coordination, especially for road closures during rocket tests, according to the Associated Press.
However, the proposal has met significant resistance. The South Texas Environmental Justice Network has led protests and encouraged residents to contact their state representatives in opposition. Critics argue that incorporating Starbase would allow SpaceX to restrict public access to Boca Chica Beach at will, infringing on community and cultural rights.
“Boca Chica Beach is meant for the people, not Elon Musk to control,” the organization stated. The beach has long served local residents for fishing, recreation, and spiritual purposes for the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe, who fear losing access to the area.
Musk has previously promoted Starbase as a future hub, claiming in 2021 that it would grow by thousands in just a couple of years. As Tesla struggles, SpaceX has become a more vital part of Musk’s business empire, with billions in government contracts fueling its expansion.
Musk, who now resides in Texas, owns a $35 million compound in Austin. During his endorsement of Donald Trump’s re-election bid, he briefly moved to Pennsylvania, a swing state. He also served as a senior adviser to Trump, residing in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, though he left the position in April to refocus on his companies.
